Restless Calm
by A Tomato Llama's World
Summary: "The beauty is that though you have to exhibit some amount of control, the way you express it is still up to you and how you make it entirely your own." The most important thing was that it reassured him that he was still human. Rated T for a lot of cursing.
1. Unpredictable

**GUESS WHO'S BACK FROM THE GRAVE?! *party streamers* **_Yes, I've been on a 2 hiatus. Yes, I do feel guilty. But sadly, no I won't be going as consistently as what I had originally planned. I find that being able to maintain my activity is a bit hard, especially when you don't have a muse for writing. I apologize for the inconsistency but know that this is a wonderful site and whenever I have a new fanfic, this will be the first place to know about it. ^_^_

**_Anyways MAJOR MAJOR THANKS and and credits to sorahime345. She inspired me to create this fic with her story "White Resonance" which is really good and you ought to check it out. :) She gave me her approval to make a fic based on her work and I am in NO WAY claiming the idea/plot to be mine completely._**

**Final disclaimer: I do not own Durarara, the characters, the music mentioned, and now on to the story!  
**

* * *

_A lot of things changed after the incident. After his mother was laid to rest he got a beating from his father. It didn't exactly hurt him as his strength allowed him to endure an extent of pain, but after his father had enough he crumbled into tears and declared, "You are not my son!"_

_His father rarely stayed at home and was always out to work. It was mostly so he could provide for Kasuka but he gave just the right amount of finances in concern of Shizuo so as not to let suspicions rise. But Shizuo and Kasuka knew better. Not once has Shizuo let his fingers touch the piano ever since._

* * *

"IIIIIIIIIZZZAAAAAAAYYYYAAAAA!" That roar could only mean one thing for the inhabitants of Ikebukuro: if you want to live, stay out of the damn way!

It was the usual scenario in Ikebukuro, people would be minding their own business, suddenly a certain blond bartender sniffs out an annoying flea –as he called the informant- and pretty soon trash cans, vending machines and street signs were sent flying through the sky. The bartender –Shizuo- and the informant flea –Izaya- would wreak havoc upon the city, leaving a trail of destruction as the result of their chases. Ke¥sa might as well be the background music because everywhere people be yelling, "TIMBER!"

"DAMN FLEA I TOLD YOU NEVER TO SHOW YOUR FACE HERE!" Shizuo yelled as he hurled the vending machine at him.

"Ne, Shizu-chan you can't expect me to stay away from this lovely city.~ I get all my best customers from here."

"I DON'T FUCKING CARE! GET OUT!" It wouldn't be complete without Izaya's knives flying everywhere and though Shizuo manages to evade every single one of them he'd still have no clue as to where they may end up. At one point though after making a sharp turn, Izaya saw an opportunity and took it. When Shizuo ran into the mark, Izaya threw his knives cutting the cables of a heavy lifting machine. This would no doubt delay Shizuo and so Izaya made a run for it.

The heavy object being lifted fell but Shizuo caught it. Just as he was about to hurl it he stopped dead in his tracks and realized that what he was holding was a black upright piano. He stared at it for a moment then put it down gently on the side walk.

"Eh? Shizu-chan didn't throw it at me?" Izaya said noticing the blond had stopped in his tracks. "He left the piano unscathed..." As he watched from afar, he took note of Shizuo's calm yet somewhat melancholic eyes staring at the piano. He turned around and walked away. Izaya cocked his head to the side, pouting a bit and then he smirked.

"Unpredictable as always, ne Shizu-chan? Let's see what this is all about."

The next few days, were a bit..._strange. _It was strange by Ikebukuro's standards, at least. Shizuo was a lot calmer. He wasn't quick to lash out on people as he used to (unless they were about to harm someone near him) and he wasn't quick to fight with gangs. Rather he'd flee the scene and resume whatever task was at hand. Tom and many others were surprised, but were nonetheless happy to see Shizuo was relaxed. Not even Izaya's constant pestering or sudden appearance could get Shizuo to move and chase after him.

"What's the matter, Shizu-chan? Getting tired already?~ You'd think a monster with your strength had inexhaustible power and stamina' Izaya taunted.

Shizuo took a long drag of his cigarette and exhaled. "I'm not in the mood, flea."

"Oh really now? Could it be that the monster has been domesticated? That quickly?~"

Shizuo looked at him coolly and replied, "What's it matter to you, flea? I don't feel like it and if you want someone to mess with and chase you –hopefully- to your death, go mess with the Russian guys from before. Or better yet go mess with the yakuza." After that, he just turned around and left. "Excuse me, I still have a crap ton of work left to do."

Izaya narrowed his eyes at this. He was clearly not amused to be denied the pleasure of ruining someone's day.

"If that's how you want it done, so be it." Izaya walked to Russian Sushi and ordered his meal to go. This new behaviour of abstinence and keeping his composure together definitely peaked Izaya's interest as Shizuo never predictable. He decided it was time to investigate.

Izaya hardly had any work to do the next day so he decided that he would just take a break first. He let Namie off early (much to her surprise yet enjoyment), visited his sisters (who were more than happy they had someone to mooch money off from) and when evening rolled in he followed Shizuo at a distance to wherever he was headed. He stalked Shizuo until they made it to his old house. No one lived there now except for him. Izaya climbed over the ledge and took his place behind a tree where he watched.

Shizuo turned on the lights to the living room, opened the big windows letting the cool air in, and sat down before the piano.

"Oh? Shizu-chan knows how to play the piano? Hmm, who knew he was capable of civilizing himself enough to appreciate the arts."

Izaya paid attention to Shizuo's body language. He looked nervous –almost frightened- when he lifted the lid. He pressed a couple of keys to see if the whole thing was in tune. It still was much to Shizuo's relief.

"How you're still in good condition amazes me" he said softly. Izaya was taken aback by the softness in his voice and the loving tone it came with it. _What the hell is going on?_ Izaya thought. Then finally after much waiting and nervousness, Shizuo began to play. It began slowly and calmly. The soft, high melody paired with its low bass gave it such a contrast. Eventually the pacing sped up a bit and he began playing in a moderate volume, keeping the left accompaniment soft as he emphasized the melody and dynamics of a moderate volume on the right.

Izaya was thoroughly amazed and spellbound by the music that poured from his fingertips and as he studied Shizuo's whole image. The man before him had perfect control over the varying volumes of each hand. He was able to control the pace to what was required from his piece. Not too fast. Not too slow. He was in full control of the piano. But how his fingers gracefully waltzed over the keys, how his body moved swayed to the tune, the movement in his wrist or when his arm barely move as he let his fingers run along the keys smoothly, the crescendos and diminuendos...

He expressed the piece in a way that it became his own.

Izaya was mesmerized because he knew damn well this wasn't the beast that sent many vending machines to their grave. This man was collected, peaceful, and talented! Izaya wasn't too much of a music lover as he would rather spend his time watching and messing with his humans, but he had to admit that whatever Shizuo was playing was beautiful. The song slowly and softly came to a stop. Shizuo looked down on the piano as if contemplating something and then he smiled. Izaya didn't know why but his heart was suddenly beating a bit faster inside his chest. _What the fuck?_

Shizuo stretched with such a satisfied smile on his face, closed the windows, and turned off the lights.

Meanwhile Izaya sat there in shock, still thinking about the quiet hero and his serene song. The way he played sent his heart fluttering and spine tingling. But most of all, the hauntingly sweet expression on his face.

_WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?!_

* * *

**First chapter done~ Hope you enjoyed! ^_^**


	2. Monochrome Keys

**Hi hi! So here's Chap. 2! Inspired by sorahime345's "White Resonance". By the way I forgot to site the music! This is the music that Shizuo was playing: _ watch?v=_li_hMbk0sE_ _and yes, Phandom *stares at you with tearful eyes* I was there. I cried the same tears. _So I listen to it a bunch of times, got inspirations from his other pieces and now here we are. :D  
**

Shizuo recalled the first time he took interest in the piano. It was after his mother's last piano recital. She had been invited to participate in a piano concert with all the other piano veterans, concert pianists and virtussos and Shizuo remembered how much of a big deal it was to his mother. He remembered the days when his mother would practice tirelessly at performance level everyday for hours just to get every little detail right. She humbly called herself an "amateur" when she would take about each pianist. All who have been playing classical piano for years, even starting as early as three, all of them had gained experience performing in front of different crowds in different places. But she thanked her lucky stars nonetheless for the golden opportunity to delight strangers in the beauty of song.

He remembered they were all dressed up formally and he remembered the kind of cultural center it was set. The walls were perfect for acoustic performances. The concert began and each pianist showed off the kind of skill and technique they acquired from the years. Complex sonatas and concertos, their repertoire was outstanding.

Shizuo clearly remembered he was about to doze off when finally it was his mother's turn. She was the last performer for the concert. He sat up straighter and was captivated by his mother playing Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30**. **Her fingers were swift and looked liked she wasn't even touching them, but no doubt sound was being produced. She swayed and crouched low at certain times. Her face showed mixed emotions from certain parts of the piece. He could only describe the music to be a turbulent breeze and his mother became one with that. It was a long piece but when it was over, applause echoed and enveloped the entire room. It was deafening. The other pianist entered in single file and they gave a bow to which the audience gave a standing ovation. They took their final bows one by one as the commentator gave brief backgrounds of them. Some of them received cheers and others bouquets. Then when his mother bowed, she probably got the loudest applause from them all because she was the youngest among them and she'd only been studying the piano for a handful of years. She even got an unexpected bouquet! The other pianist applauded her and they all looked so proud of her, they were happy she took part.

The Heiwajimas were also beaming with pride and admiration, but none more so than Shizuo. After that Shizuo began to wonder. What did it feel like to have people hear you play and to have them feel happiness from it. How satisfying would it be to delight audiences with something you worked so hard on? He wondered if it was possible for him to learn such an instrument. He wondered that if he did, would he be able to be as great as his mother? Or rather, if he did would it bring him calm, serenity?

Once he asked his mom why sometimes she looked so sad when she played certain pieces, or why was it she seemed to add more stress on her right hand in pressing the keys. He asked her why it looked like she was losing her self-control yet she wasn't destroying the instrument.

_"The thing about playing musical instruments is that you have to control your strength. Not just so you won't damage the instruments but also because certain dynamics call for a variation in volume. You can't play everything loud or everything soft because then you lose the melody. But then the way you play it, the way you press the keys, the way your wrists, fingers, or arm move, the highs and the lows...you're conveying a message and an emotion and it's a representation of you._

_The beauty is that though you have to exhibit some amount of control on how you play, the __**way **__you express it is still up to you and how you make it entirely your own."_

At the time he didn't understand it. But now whenever he played, it began to make sense. Suddenly the feeling of assurance returned and when he lost himself in the music he knew that he was still human.

**Hope you liked it! R&amp;R is much appreciated~**


	3. Feels and Conflictions

**Forgive me for making the previous chapter short. ^^" **

* * *

Izaya continued to watch Shizuo play the piano. After each musical piece, it never ceases to give Izaya this warm, at home feeling (which is a rare thing). And it never ceases to send Izaya's heart fluttering. He thought about it for a while and it kind of dawned on him that this fluttering may not only be a result of hearing wonderful music. It was also the result of Shizuo himself. Izaya had to admit that while in high school, Izaya never really felt attraction to anyone be it a guy or a girl. The idea of relationships just didn't seem appealing to him.

Shizuo was the exception to that.

Their first meeting sparked the beginning of intense emotions. No one has ever exhilarated Izaya as much as this brute protozoan did. They agreed that it was hatred. But then again where there is hatred, there has to be love too, right?

Shinra knew about this. He knew about Izaya's conflicting emotions about the blond. Shinra was the captain of the Shizaya ship ever since! Plus he knew the all Izaya really needed was a little bit of affection.

'_What is that supposed to mean, Shinra? I have all the affection I need from my lovely humans~ Why would I want some monster's affection?' _

'_Well, look at it this way: you love humans but they don't love you.'_

'_That's blunt.'_

_Shinra laughed good- naturedly. Izaya was not amused._

'_All I'm saying is, this affection you have for humans is merely you trying to distance yourself from anyone who may possibly hurt you. Your obsession with people watching pretty much isolated you from any normal relationships, except for the one you have with your sisters. You didn't feel loved much by others –except again by your sisters-but more importantly, you don't want to entertain loving someone because you obviously don't love yourself. Let's be real, you just want to be in control of things.'_

_Izaya narrowed his eyes at him. 'So what are you a shrink now? Telling me I have some psychological problems that need to be fixed?'_

_Shinra laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. 'Hehe, it's not at all like that. But could it be that why you have this attraction to Shizuo is because you may be alike in some way?'_

_Alike? Alike?! _

'_Alike you say? So are you saying I'm a dumb protozoan?'_

'_No. But both of you aren't afraid of each other. That's what made you click.'_

After staying silent while playing with his blade, Shinra got pretty nervous and got to his knees and bowed, apologizing profusely. Izaya merely thanked him and left. It couldn't be that simple, could it?

But here he was: internally swooning over the blond bartender and entertaining the possibility that he may have a crush on him (childish this may sound). Shizuo left the living room so Izaya took this as an opportunity to make himself at home and watch the performance in person. When Shizuo came back he nearly dropped his bottle of milk.

"Good morning, Shizu-chan~" Izaya greeted.

"Why the hell are you in my house? _How _the hell you got in my house?" Shizuo seethed, feeling a nerve pop.

"How I got in, you left the front door unlocked. Why I'm here is because I wanted to see an animal up close and personal in his own habitat" Izaya said smirking. Shizuo was not the least bit amused and any longer he'd hurl his TV at the flea.

"Bull-_shit._ If you don't get out of my house-"

"You'll kill me, I know. But for a change I'm not here to disturb you."

"What?" Shizuo asked confused but still pissed to see the flea here.

"Why don't you sit down and relax and let me explain. Let's be civilized, ne?~"

After a moment of thinking this was a plot, Shizuo resigned and sat on the piano bench.

"Fine, flea. Why are you here?"

"Play for me."

"Hah?"

"Play that song you always play."

"Now why the hell should I-"

"Because I want to hear Shizu-chan play."

Shizuo could not comprehend what had just been said. _The flea wants to hear me play the piano? Is this a plot to kill me or did i just smoke something I wasn't supposed to?_

"So as to prove I mean no harm, just that I want to be entertained by some music, " Izaya gave Shizuo his knife "I mean no harm this time. Now will Shizu-chan please grace me with his talent I feel rather sluggish today.~" He asked one more time and even though Shizuo was still confused, he gave a wary look to the flea then to the piano, then he began to play. He was tensed first but as soon as he got into the swing of the music he relaxed.

Now Izaya was watching Shizuo perform like he always does. The same graceful movements, the same melody, the same moods, but somehow this live performance felt different. There was something different about the feeling of the piece. Before it always seemed to feel like the piece was about experiencing some trivial issues with love and moving on but now it felt like the beginning of a new day, a new sunrise.

When he was finished he looked over to the flea but instead of a devious smirk he had an actual smile. The smile that was all too pretty to belong to a man with a hideous attitude. Nonetheless he looked...appealing and Shizuo felt a little heat rise to his cheeks.

"You added a twist to your song?" he asked.

"I guess. There were two different versions of this piece. The one I usually play is the album version."

Izaya nodded and then requested him to play another and he did. After about 2 more, Izaya stood up, thanked him for his hospitality, and leave without another word.

This same scene happened for a number of weeks. Sometimes after a chase, when Shizuo decided it was time to calm down and play something Izaya would be back on the couch listening as if they weren't just trying to kill each other. One afternoon, after the new routine was added to their life Shizuo asked Izaya if they could walk around. He agreed and they set for Ikebukuro, specifically Russian Sushi.

If you gave me a yen for every pair of eyeball that stared at the deadly duo, I'd be richer than the Queen of England. At least Erika wasn't around. She probably would've gotten a heart attack from the fact her deepest wish were granted. The bystanders gossiped and whispered among themselves about the two not killing each other. Some even took pictures and it went viral everywhere, including the Dollars page. It annoyed them both but they decided to just leave them be. Izaya had plans on bringing back the hobby of stomping on cellphones but that will have to wait for another time.

They ordered their take outs much to the delight of Simon seeing as how they're not at each other's necks. They headed for the viewing deck of Ikebukuro's tallest building. They ate in silence for a while when Shizuo asked, "Oi flea, what's the big idea with you listening to me play? I wouldn't peg you for the kind to set aside murderous intent for music."

"Let's just say it was out of curiosity. When you didn't hurl the piano at me, I saw how you looked at it. Then you became unexpectedly calm for the next few days and you even refused to chase me. As an informant whose world revolves around information, do you really think I was just going to shrug that off?"

"I guess if you put it that way."

"I stalked you and then I heard you play for the first time. It was something really, to see a heathen like you turn out to not be so much of one. You never cease to be unpredictable.~"

Out the corner of his eyes, Izaya saw Shizuo's soft smile. "Were you really that impressed?"

"In all honesty, yes."

"That's good. It's all I've really wanted when I first started to play. I wasn't expecting to know it after all these years but I guess it just got stuck in my system."

"You stopped?"

"Yeah. It was because I-" Suddenly he thought if this was a good idea. He never told anyone about it except Kasuka. Izaya put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's alright, ne?~ It'll only be between you and I~" Shizuo looked at him suspiciously before taking a long drag from his newly lit cigarette. But then he thought, the past is past. Nothing can change it now so what does it matter if he told someone else.

"Mom inspired me to play the piano. She was an amazing pianist and she was the most calming and loving woman you have ever met. I felt better every time she played the piano for me. She taught me how to play and every since then the piano became something that reassured me that I was still human. I just wasn't normal.

"People talked shit about me, yeah I felt bad but mom and music helped me block those bastards out. Then one day while we were grocery shopping, a bunch of thugs held everyone hostage and were demanding an impossible amount of money for a simple grocery. One of them took my mom by the neck and I snapped. I destroyed the place and injured a lot of people but until today I blame myself for killing my mom."

There was a whole bunch of hurt, sadness, and regret written in his eyes as Izaya noticed.

"It was an accident really. A stray bullet was what hit my mom because the bastard had his finger on the trigger when I hit him. I didn't kill mom but I damn well felt like I did." Another drag and the cigarette burned out. "I haven't touched the piano since."

Silence followed. "I would be lying if I said I didn't think Shizu-chan was a monster," Izaya began. Shizuo felt a nerve pop and he was about to punch the bastard when Izaya continued. "But he isn't that bad. He still has friends that care for him. People who aren't afraid and still treat you right. A real monster would have none of that."

"You mean like you?" Shizuo said. That blunt remark was definitely a slap to the face but who was Izaya to complain when he brought it upon himself? He smirked then said, "Yep, pretty much." He suddenly stood up, stretching a bit, and prepared for his leave. "Oi, what's your sob story?"

"I won't go into detail with that for now.~ Perhaps some other time. If you'll excuse me I have some work to do."

"Thanks, Izaya."

"It's no big deal."

* * *

***Whew* That was long...**

**Izaya: OK, so you're not going to elaborate on _my _backstory? Tch, and I thought you and I were friends. *twirls knife menacingly***

**Me: Well, this _is mostly _about Shizu-chan. Oh don't get so jelly! **


	4. Opportunity

**Since Iza-nii wouldn't stop his temper tantrum and the idea that we'd be playing darts (except with his knives and I as the dartboard) didn't appeal to me, comment/review whether or not you wanna see a short drabble of his own family background the way I see it :)**

* * *

It's been a couple months since their last meeting. _Wonder what that flea is up to? _Shizuo noticed he's been thinking about the flea more than what was considered healthy. Things like what was he doing, would he be in his house again waiting for him to perform, but the most disturbing question (for which he has no idea where it came from) since when did that annoying bastard become _cute_? Strangely enough he was comfortable with the thought of how good looking Izaya was and he was fine with the idea that he actually _likes _him. Which would definitely be strange.

As he was running an errand with Tom he suddenly got a call from Kasuka.  
"Ne, big brother I just got a call from Ikebukuro's Sunshine Hotel asking for your appearance for their grand opening."  
"Hah? What would they want with me?"  
"They said they want you to perform for them."

Shizuo stopped in his tracks, eyes widening and heart racing. "W-what?"

"They said they want to include you in the grand opening's musical showcase. Other people will be there to perform as well."

"B-but how do they know?"

"I don't know. Grand opening will be next week at 7 pm in their bar. You're free to choose whichever song or piano rendition to play, with the maximum of only 2 per performer."

"Uh...a-alright then..."

"Should I call them to confirm-"

"W-wait!" There was a pause on the other line.

"Can I at least have some time to think about it?"

"...Alright. It says they'll need your confirmation at least two days prior the performance."

"Uh, great. I call you to let you know."

"...This is my own opinion but I think you should perform. It'd be nice to hear you play again." Then the line went dead.

"Everything alright, Shizuo?" Tom asked. Shizuo felt a bit cold and nervous but nodded.

* * *

That night he began panicking. He had never performed in front of a live audience other than his own family before. What if he screwed up? What if he got so nervous that he wouldn't be able to control his strength? What if he destroys the piano? Where the hell was the damn flea when he needed him?! He couldn't decide this on his own! Kasuka said he ought to perform but Shizuo was unsure. He decided to pay Celty and Shinra a visit. He told them his dilemma. Yes, they were shocked out of their minds to find out Shizuo can play the piano. Shinra hardly helped and just babbled, but Celty was very comforting.

_~If you ask me, maybe you should go. For the experience.~_

"But what I screw it up and then shit happens?"  
_~Well thinking like that about the future is going to help is it?~_

"I guess it wouldn't."

_~Or how about dedicating it to someone?~_

"Dedicate it to who?"

"Maybe a friend, your mother-" Shizuo fell silent. If it were his mom she'd say yes to the invitation, but she wasn't a person with monstrous strength. She was normal.

"Oh I know, how about dedicate to Izaya?~" Celty instantly panicked and had her shadows wrap around Shinra's mouth. He should've hit Shinra by now. But instead he just looked bored, albeit thinking it would be appropriate to dedicate it to him.

"So you really think I should attend?"

_~Absolutely. Do what you want to do.~ _Shinra gave a muffled yes while nodding his head. Celty released Shinra and he added, "Why not invite all our friends? I'm sure we'd all be more than happy to see you perform for the first time."

The idea was bothersome but it somewhat excited him. _Have all my friends there. _"Alright. Thanks for the help."

_~No problem. Can't wait to see you perform!~ _

"That's right, how do you plan on attending without causing a stir?" Celty gave it some thought.

_~I'll just keep my helmet on. If that doesn't work I can scare them.~_

"Imagine Celty-san in a dress!~ Haaaah~ MY DREAMS HAVE BEEN REALIZED!~" Celty punched him in the gut and bid Shizuo a good night. Meanwhile he sent invitations with details to everyone he knew about the event, including the high school student with the funny name and the girl with glasses. The last invite he sent was to Izaya. He wasn't counting that he'd show up but it would be nice if he did. He decided that his piece would be his and Izaya's favourite to which the flea frequently described it as being "a new sunrise". The other one would be something a little more personal.

* * *

He let Kasuka deal with the details. After the grand opening, there would be a short cocktail with appetizers and then the showcase. After the showcase there would be a buffet dinner and the hotel would officially be in business. As for the number of guests the max number of guest per performer was 5 but since they were talking to the famous Yuhei Hanejima they gladly made an exception. They even added an extra security bonus from the paparazzi if he were to give a review of the hotel's establishment should he ever need a hotel to stay in. Shizuo felt a bit embarrassed by it but Kasuka reassured him that it was no big deal. Somehow behind those expressionless eyes, Kasuka was excited about his brother's performance.

He practiced both pieces to perfection, being as meticulous and accurate as his mother would do. He practiced the newer piece along with the metronome to get the timing right. He paid attention to the pedalling, the accented marks, and all the other dynamics. When he covered the memorization, and speed, he applied the final stage: expression. He wanted to be able to convey the message of the feeling of being alienated for something that perhaps made you seem abnormal to everyone else. He wanted to be able to express the feeling of loneliness and inadequacy he felt not only during the time of his childhood but also how he sometimes felt now.

_Monster. Uncontrollable. How could such a peaceful woman like Namiko give birth to such a hellion? Why can't he be more like his brother? _

_His mother. His brother. His own family name. They were all just shadows of someone he'll never be. _

He was stuck with this abnormal strength and though he can't change anything about it, he could choose to accept it and learn how to live with it. He wasn't his mother. He wasn't the same peaceful creature. But he was his own person.

* * *

**Are you all feeling the feels yet?! Cuz I am TTwTT. Next chapter, here we go!**


	5. The Restless Calm

**And now, Shizuo's big night! *squeal* You know it's intense when you feel the same emotions as your characters or when you can clearly imagine them being so talented and augh the feels! TTwTT I'm just so proud of Shizu-chan~ Anyways:**

**First song: _ watch?v=fnU_1ef7V-0_**

**Second song: _ watch?v=vP4C-Tj7Bmo_  
**

**Enjoy my lovelies!~  
**

* * *

Grand opening was tomorrow night and Shizuo has never been more anxious than tonight. He hasn't heard from Izaya since he sent the invite and truthfully he was both disappointed and a little mad at him. But he had to focus. Every one of his friends was there to watch him and he was going to make this the best performance he's ever given. Even Celty was there in a nice dress (much to Shinra's perverted delight). The guards and usher let her keep her helmet as Kasuka explained that she suffered a vehicle incident and would rather not show her scars. Oh yeah, Yuhei was one hell of an actor. They were all dressed up and classy looking, he felt kind of awkward about it. He hasn't worn a suit since...

"Pardon us ladies and gentlemen, please precede to the bar for the night's musical showcase" said the manager of the hotel, Eirlys Wakahiso. They gave Shizuo an excited grin and wished him luck. Shizuo smiled back and thanked them. His stomach was in knots right now. In the bar, there was a low platform stage with a white grand piano in the center. The lights were dimmed and there was a single spotlight in the middle of the stage. Other instruments were set aside for other song numbers. There were 10 of them performing that night. Some were guitarists, others pianist, other singers, and others were going to do a duet while others were going solo. Shizuo was the last to perform.

"We would like to thank everyone for being with us today in the grand opening of the Sunshine Hotel" Eirlys began. "The main reason we've invited you all to this gathering was not only to witness the new beginning of this hotel, but to acknowledge the wonderful talents of our selected performers. Some volunteered, but most were recommended. Why is this important? Well as part of our Music for the Soul philanthropy, we decided to give this opportunity to these select few in hopes that 3 of them become full time musicians for this hotel."

There were nods and murmurs of approval among the audience and the performers.

"Of course they are all talented people and they are free to perform here –provided with a day's notice- but we would be choosing only 3 regulars. All that said, allow us here at Sunshine Hotel to introduce to you the Restless Calm."

* * *

Every performance was beautiful. It proved just how rehearsed they were. Shizuo had no problem admitting that they were all better than him. The eighth performer took the stage and Shizuo was beginning to feel knots in his stomach and a surge of anxiety and nausea.

"Uhm...Shizuo-san?" said the girl performer before him.

"What is it?" Shizuo asked. The girl had auburn hair and dark green eyes and she wore an emerald green floor length dress. She gave him a kind smile –one he would likened to his mother's- and asked, "Are you nervous?" He nodded. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a tight squeeze.

"Ne, it'll be alright. You'll do great later on."

"Thanks" he chuckled. "You don't seem too rattled. It's not your first time performing?"

She shook her head. "But I still get nervous about it no matter how many times I perform."

"I see. Do you maybe have any tips for me? This is my first time performing and I really don't want to screw up."

She smiled again. "Don't think about it too much. When you're out there just pretend no one's with you or maybe just imagine there's only one person in the room with you. It could be someone you really like and care about."

He instantly thought of Izaya and his mother.

"And if you make a mistake, just keep playing and don't stop. Other than that, just breathe." The eighth performer went backstage and it was the auburn haired girl's turn. "Well, good luck Shizuo-san."

"Thank you very much, Miss...?"

"Namiko."

_Wait...is she? No. It's just a coincidence. She doesn't even look like her! But then her smile..._

He must have been so deep in thought when suddenly he realized that she was done performing... and now it was his turn! _Oh crap...shit... _Namiko gave him a hug and whispered, "Good luck, Shizuo-san." He took in a deep breath before he exited the backstage, entering the main stage. He was greeted with applause and he saw everyone smiling. But at the back of the room –about two tables back- was Izaya and his sisters. Shizuo's heart suddenly went up his throat when he saw just how handsome he was and how he realized he's here. He's here to watch him perform.

He took a somewhat awkward bow and sat down on the bench. He took a deep breath to compose himself. He positioned his hands over the keys and began to play. The first piece was a piano composition he found among his mother's stash of favourite sheet music. He had listened to the original and realized this was the song he had been looking for. The piece was definitely more lyrical than just ambient but he realized that this was the song to convey his feelings of isolation and regret and the shadows of someone he will never be but himself.

He got into the mood of his piece and relaxed, allowing the music to take over.

The first piece went by before he knew it, he only realized it when he heard a small round of applause. He nodded his head at them and prepared to bring out the sun.

Again he started out softly, later building up to a crescendo, and then settled on a moderate volume and tempo. The audience watched with awe as the Ikebukuro's strongest man worked with such delicate keys, his fingers dancing on them, pressing on them with such controlled strength. When his fingers moved swiftly, it was as if he wasn't laying pressing anything. The way his hands moved gracefully and how he played with such gusto wowed everyone, none more so than the people who knew personally. Izaya watched the bartender with amazement and wonder.

_No matter how many times I see you perform the same song, it never fails to make my heart flutter._

It got to his favourite part. It was probably the mellowest part of the whole piece. It was the part that made Shizuo the calmest and it was the same part that always made Shizuo smile, without him realizing he was. After that came the most impressive part, the climax. It was always such an amazement to see him press on the keys with such force without breaking the instrument. His performance slowly came to a stop. Not missing a note. Not a single mistake. The performance was perfect.

The crowd gave a huge applause. The loudest being his gang, each one smiling brightly, some with tears in their eyes. Even Kasuka had a small grin on his face. He gave a bow and exited the stage. He was met with pats on the back and congratulations from all the other performers. His heart was still pumping from the adrenaline and his heads felt cold and clammy. He spotted Namiko who walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"_I'm so proud of you, Shizu-chan_" she whispered. His eyes shot up and for a moment he saw his mother in the form of this teenager. _That voice is definitely hers_.

"Is something wrong, Shizuo-san?" asked Namiko. Her voice changed and she looked worried. Shizuo realized he had some tears in his eyes and wiped them away.

"Yeah. I just got a bit overwhelmed. Thank you so much for your advice."

"You did all the work. I only gave you tips but you were amazing!"

_Mom._

_So this is what it feels like. Now I see why you like it so much. I'm sorry for stopping. I'm sorry for hurting you. But thank you for everything. Thank you. Thank you._

* * *

In the end, Shizuo didn't get the full time job at the hotel. Namiko did. But it was fine with him. He didn't think it suited him to have music as his sole profession, but he could drop by for a performance every now and then. He was content with working with Tom and if things ever get dicey in Ikebukuro again he'd be ready to beat the living crap out of them. If he didn't get angry he might strain himself so basically he just wanted a sort of balance.

The food was delicious. Everyone at the table complimented him and gave him praises for such a heartfelt performance. And he was definitely happy too. They checked out at around 10 p.m. but Shizuo remained at the hotel a little longer. He still needed to look for a certain raven flea bastard.

"That was quite a performance, Shizu-chan~" Izaya said appearing from behind him.

"Thanks. Glad you showed up. I was beginning to think you got run over by a truck." They exited the hotel and walked around the garden park of the hotel.

"Of course I wouldn't miss it!~ After all it would be rude if the recommender didn't show his support.~" Shizuo nearly dropped the cigarette in his mouth, eyes widening.

"_You _were the one that recommended me?" Shizuo asked bewildered.

Izaya shrugged coyly. "This a better kind of set up than the usual one I give you, ne?~" Shizuo smirked.

"You don't say..." he growled. He grabbed Izaya by the collar abruptly and before any defense could happen, Shizuo closed the gap between their lips. It was a sweet and simple kiss but damn did it feel right for the both of them. Izaya went red with the unexpected contact. Shizuo smirked and ruffled his hair before parting the other way. Izaya just stood there in the middle of the garden with a sweet smile on his lips. He chuckled to himself as he went on his way out and set a course for home.

"You never cease to be unpredictable, ne Shizu-chan?~"

* * *

**And there you have it! Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it, and be sure to comment, rate, and review. :) Thank you sorahime345! You are awesome!~**


	6. OH NO!

EXTENDED ENDING

Four pairs of eyeballs went wide and four mouths formed a massive "O" shaped at the scene they just witnessed:

Shizuo...Izaya...mouth to mouth...KISSING?! Recovering from their initial shock, Erika let out an ear piercing fangirl squeal, flailing her arms and unable to stay still.

"I knew it! I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT! HAH! I TOLD YOU THOSE TWO WERE MEANT TO BE!" And she squealed for nearly a minute before anyone tried to shut her up.

The fangirl squeal quickly turned to a scream of horror as she realized...

"WE DIDN'T TAKE A PICTURE! NOOOOOOOOO!" and proceeded to cry waterfalls. They drove off in confusion. Did the thing really happen? Or was some alien messing with their heads?

***sigh* Poor Erika-san...**


End file.
